Why Women Service-Based Business Owners Struggle With Marketing (And the Secret to Fixing It)

Most small business owners think their biggest problem is not enough marketing.

Not enough reels.
Not enough ads.
Not enough emails.
Not enough visibility.

But here’s the truth most women entrepreneurs don’t hear often enough:

More marketing doesn’t equal more clients.
Better messaging does.

And if you’re a service-based business owner trying to scale sustainably, this one shift has the power to change everything about how you grow.

This is why Marketing is Pillar 4 inside my proprietary 9 Pillar Framework to build a profitable, sustainable business. It sits inside the “Expertise” sphere of the framework — and it’s one of the first pillars we upgrade when a business owner wants more clients, more revenue, and more consistency.

Today, we’re going to walk through why your marketing may not be working (even if you’re doing “all the things”), what actually moves the needle, and a simple messaging process you can start using today.

Whether you’re a photographer, designer, event planner, boutique owner, wedding service provider, painter, consultant, or any woman running a local or service-based business… this is for you.

Let’s dive in.

Why Most Women Entrepreneurs Think They Need More Marketing

Every week, I talk to women who are growing businesses while also raising families, managing clients, juggling commitments, and trying to carve out time to simply breathe.

And almost every conversation starts the same way:

“I think I just need to do more marketing, but I don’t have the time.”

More Facebook ads.
More Instagram posts.
More content.
More networking events.
More…more…more.

But here’s what’s really happening:

You’re exhausted not because you’re not doing enough,
But because you’re doing too much of the wrong things.

And it all comes back to something no one ever taught you:

Marketing only works when your messaging is clear.

If your message is muddy, your marketing will always feel heavy, confusing, and inconsistent.

You’re not lacking strategy.
You’re lacking clarity.

And clarity is what turns marketing from “shouting into the void” into “clients reaching out ready to buy.”

This is where Pillar 4 begins.

Before You Build a 90-Day Marketing Plan, You Need This One Thing

Most business owners build marketing plans backwards.

They start with:

• What platform should I use?

• How many times should I post?

• Should I run ads?

• What hashtag strategy is best?

• Maybe a funnel?

But none of that matters until you answer one foundational question:

Is your message speaking directly to the right people?

If not, no amount of visibility will fix it.

Marketing is simply the method of delivering your message.

If the message isn’t clear, the delivery system doesn’t matter it just spreads confusion faster.

This is why the first thing I do with clients inside my Business Accelerator and 1:1 coaching is take them through a messaging process I call:

Priming Your Audience™

Priming is how you prepare your audience to say yes before you ever sell anything.
It’s the missing piece in most small business marketing plans.

Priming has 3 core components:

1. Identify the End Result

What are you really selling?
(Hint: it isn’t your service. It’s the transformation your service creates.)

2. Identify the Beliefs Your Client Must Have

What do they need to believe to hire you today?

3. Identify Why You’re the Only Choice

What is your unique method, perspective, experience, or philosophy that separates you from everyone else?

Once these three pieces are clear, every part of your marketing: your emails, your website, your elevator pitch, your Instagram posts, your networking becomes easier, faster, and far more effective.

Let me show you what this looks like in real life.

Client Story #1: The Photographer Who Thought She Needed More Content

A brand photographer in Chicago came to me worried that she wasn’t doing enough marketing.

She thought she needed more reels.
More website updates.
More content.
More, more, more.

But after digging into Pillar 4 together, I realized her real challenge wasn’t a lack of marketing it was clarity of her messaging.

Her portfolio was stunning.
Her skills were exceptional.
Her client experience was beautiful.

So why wasn’t she attracting corporate clients?

Because her messaging wasn’t aligned with what those clients actually cared about.

Once we walked through my Priming process, everything clicked:

Corporate clients wanted someone who could help them:
➡️ Tell a story through imagery
➡️ Capture emotion that builds connection
➡️ Show relatability and authenticity
➡️ Use photos that help them sell without feeling salesy

Suddenly, her work wasn’t about “professional photos”…
It was about brand impact, trust, and emotional connection.

And once her messaging changed?

Her website converted better.
Her social media engagement increased.
Her inquiries became warm leads instead of random strangers.
She saved time and stress.
And she landed the corporate clients she’d been chasing for months.

This is the power of messaging.

Before You Spend Money on Ads…Please Read This

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room.

Ads.

So many women come to me saying:

“I think I just need to run more Facebook ads. Or Google ads. Or Instagram ads.”

And every time, I say:

“Hold on before you burn cash, let’s fix the foundation.”

Because here’s the truth:

🚫 Ads do NOT fix unclear messaging.
🚫 Ads do NOT fix a fuzzy offer.
🚫 Ads do NOT fix a mismatched audience.
🚫 Ads do NOT grow a business faster if your message isn't strong.

Ads only amplify what already exists.

If your message isn’t aligned,
ads will amplify that misalignment and drain your budget.

I learned this the hard way.

Personal Story: The Quick Start Moment That Cost Me Thousands

I’m a Quick Start by nature.
I once built an entire funnel before clarifying the message behind it.

I was working 10-hour days creating content that went nowhere.

I was frustrated.
I questioned whether the business would grow.
I wondered if maybe I was missing something big.

Spoiler alert: I was.

I wasn’t even following my own advice.
My messaging wasn’t aligned with the people I wanted to serve.

Once I fixed the messaging, everything improved:

Clients started telling me,
“Jen, I see you everywhere!”

But I wasn’t everywhere.
I was at home in my bamboo pajamas drinking reheated coffee while my messaging finally did its job.

Messaging brings ease.
Marketing brings visibility.
And visibility only works when your message lands.

Where Most Women Go Wrong With Their Marketing Plan

Once messaging is clear, then we can talk strategy.

But here’s another mistake most small business owners make:

They rely too heavily on passive marketing and almost completely avoid active marketing.

Let’s break this down.

Passive vs Active Marketing (and Why You Need Both)

Inside Pillar 4, we divide marketing into two buckets.

Bucket 1: Passive Marketing

Passive marketing builds brand awareness, but it doesn’t guarantee clients.

Examples:

• Social media

• Blogging

• Podcasting

• Billboards

• Publicity

• SEO

Passive marketing is a long game — necessary, but unpredictable.

I describe it this way:

Passive marketing is like waving at strangers on the freeway and hoping one pulls over to hire you.

It works… eventually.
Just not consistently or quickly.

Bucket 2: Active Marketing

Active marketing is direct, intentional, and trackable.

Examples:

• Email marketing

• Strategic follow-up

• Warm outreach

• Networking

• Conversations

• Partnerships

• Referrals

Active marketing is where momentum lives.
It’s how you turn visibility into revenue.

Client Story #2: The Painting Business That Thought Google Ads Were Enough

One of my clients owns a painting and wallpapering business.

She had:

✔ Google ads
✔ A clean website
✔ Social media posts

But she wasn’t getting the number of inquiries she expected.

Her marketing plan was 80% passive…
and 20% “I hope this works.”

When we looked closer, here’s what was missing:

❌ No follow-up system
❌ No consistent warm outreach
❌ No email marketing
❌ No networking rhythm

We added a simple follow-up process.
A weekly email.
A local networking pattern that fit her lifestyle.

Within two weeks, she was booked out with free quotes
and those quotes turned into paying customers.

Your marketing doesn't need to be louder.
It needs to be more intentional.

So… Do You Really Need More Marketing?

Let’s answer the question clearly once and for all:

**You don’t need more marketing.

You need messaging that works.**

When your messaging is aligned:

✔ Your website converts
✔ Your emails get read
✔ Your social media builds connection
✔ Your networking becomes easier
✔ Your sales process feels natural
✔ Your confidence grows
✔ Your business becomes more profitable

Marketing becomes the vehicle instead of the struggle.

This is the heart of Pillar 4 inside my 9 Pillar Framework — and it’s why so many women finally stop spinning their wheels once we fix this one thing.

How to Strengthen Your Messaging Today

Here are three simple prompts to get started on your own:

1. What end result am I really selling?

Is it confidence?
More clients?
A beautiful home?
Time saved?
A transformation?
Clarity?
Momentum?

2. What must my ideal client believe to hire me today?

Examples:

• “This is possible for me.”

• “I trust this person.”

• “This solves the problem I have right now.”

3. Why am I the only choice?

What is your:

• method

• process

• philosophy

• lived experience

• personality

• approach

This becomes your messaging backbone.

Final Takeaway: Simplicity Scales. Messaging Converts. Marketing Amplifies.

If you’ve been feeling like:

• You’re posting constantly but not converting

• You’re overwhelmed by all the marketing “shoulds”

• You’re doing so much… but getting so little ROI

• You’re tired of doing this alone

• You’re ready to build a sustainable, profitable business

Then it’s time to shift the focus from doing more to messaging better.

When your message works, your business works.

And you don’t have to exhaust yourself to grow.

Doing this alone is exhausting — and honestly, unnecessary.
Trying to refine your messaging, balance your marketing, and grow a sustainable business without support can keep you stuck in the very cycle you’re trying to escape.

What actually creates momentum isn’t more marketing.
It’s the right structure.
The right focus.
And the right people around you when business (and life) get loud.

That’s exactly why I created the Business Accelerator Group.

Inside, you get the clarity, accountability, and coaching you need to finally dial in your message, simplify your marketing, and take consistent action that leads to real profit — not burnout.
You’ll stop guessing, stop second-guessing, and start moving with purpose.

Because the truth is:
You were never meant to build a business alone.
And with the right community behind you, everything becomes easier — and a lot more fun.

You’re closer than you think.
I’d love to show you the system that makes sustainable growth possible.

About Jennifer Kok

Jennifer Kok, founder of Next Wave Business Coaching, is a Grand Rapids business coach with over 25 years of entrepreneurial experience. She helps creative, women-led small businesses grow profitably through her Earn More…Stress Less Framework, a 9 Pillar System focusing on revenue clarity, systems, and sustainable success.

From owning and selling a national franchise to coaching local entrepreneurs, Jennifer brings both real-world strategy and empathy to every client partnership.

I help service-based women entrepreneurs double profit without doubling hours.

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